Netanyahu's Challenge to America: Confront Iran's Threat to the Free World

[@Davidwishnevsky]

You have a clash between the Enlightenment and the Dark Ages.

[@yehudithyakobson9325]

People see what they want to see...very few learn facts and make informed decisions..also it is very confusing if you never where in Israel and dont know the history...

[@Firehorse39]

Prayers from Myrtle Beach USA.

[@DrumguyCiv]

Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech was a huge stretching of the truth.

[@kristine8338]

Germany understands and acts upon it.

[@Buster62]

The Reshef Plan: The Day After in Gaza and Israel There has never been a state called Palestine and the Arab leadership in the territory of the former Mandate of Palestine has never been interested in a two-state solution. In stating that, I am not denying Arab Muslim descendants of the Mandate the right to a national identity -- just not a "Palestinian" one. Allow me to explain, starting with the “day after” in Gaza. The proposed idea of having the UAE and Saudi Arabia involved in the development of an emirates-like enclave in the Gaza strip led by local Gazan entities that are not wedded to Hamas or the PA -- with Israeli security oversight, Egypt in a supporting role, and the U.S. providing diplomatic cover -- is a step in the right direction. In keeping with the internationally endorsed political framework established in the 1990s by the Oslo Accords that seeks resolution through a bilateral negotiated final status agreement, this would leave it to the Israelis and Arabs to manage Gaza’s reconstruction and development without interference by outsiders, e.g., the UN. Under such a plan, five emirates/governorates could be established in Gaza: North Gaza, Gaza City, Deir Al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah. However, that plan does not fix the wider problem of what to do with the West Bank, Jerusalem, and southern Lebanon. That is why similarly fitting solutions should also be applied for those areas, and -- the game-changer -- extended to all of Israel, using the current conflict in much the same way as the American Civil War was the catalyst for the Reconstructionist Era, during which the U.S. reintegrated into the Union the states that had seceded and determined the legal status of African Americans. It is time for a solution that is not misguidedly focused on “splitting-the-baby” - the two-state solution - but tackles the core issue of Israel's acceptance as a Jewish state in a Muslim region of the world. Such a solution should recognize what the British and League of Nations did when the Mandate was created; that the Mandate’s territory, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem, constituted the heartland of historic and cultural Israel. It is the land that Abraham purchased from Ephron 4,000 years ago, and to which Moses led the Israelites/Jews after their sojourn in Egypt. And it is where they then established two kingdoms and a dominant presence for almost 1,500 years (1,330 BC - 135 AD). If any people meet the criteria for Palestinian indigeneity, it is the Jews. A basic matching of the characteristics of indigeneity listed by the UN in its Factsheet “Who are Indigenous Peoples?” will bear this out. Moreover, in 1948 Israel was the only state to declare independence in the territory, so under the universally applied legal principle of international law, uti possidetis juris, it inherits the pre-existing borders of the Mandate as its internationally recognized sovereign borders. A reconstructionist solution would involve Israel reconstituting itself as a Constitutional Federal Republic (The Federal Republic of Israel), comprised of 27 governorates in Israel’s internationally recognized borders, the Golan Heights, and greater Jerusalem, and seven governorates in Judea and Samaria (Jenin/Tubas, Nablus, Tulkarm/Qalilya/Salfit, Ramallah/Al Bireh, Jericho, Bethlehem, and Hebron). The republic would be guided by a federal constitution granting equal political and civil rights to all its citizens. Gaza would become a protectorate of a consortium of states including Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE until such time as the consortium unanimously agrees it is able to self-govern in peaceful coexistence with its neighbors. Southern Lebanon would become a protectorate of a consortium of states including Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE until such time as the consortium unanimously agrees that Lebanon is able to govern it as a demilitarized region in peaceful coexistence with Israel. Each of the republic’s 34 governorates would have a locally elected government with the ability to raise local taxes and manage general administrative affairs. They would also hold specific powers defined in the constitution that would determine which powers belong to the nation (federal), which are shared (concurrent), and which belong only to the governorates, e.g., local police would manage day-to-day policing while national security matters and crimes crossing governorate lines would be handled by a federal authority. The elected Governors - excluding the Governors from Gaza and southern Lebanon -- would sit in a new deliberative chamber of government. While the chamber would not have legislative authority, it would have the mandate to scrutinize legislation, hold the government to account, and consider and report upon public policy. It could also seek to introduce legislation for the Knesset to consider and propose amendments to bills before their final passage into law. It would be able to delay bills though it could not indefinitely block their passage, with the possible exception of bills involving constitutional amendments, religious and minority rights, when a supermajority of 60% would be required to block passage in the Knesset. This would allow for the voices of all residents of the republic to be heard and considered. The Knesset would have legislative power and be much like it is today, though Israel's laws should be revised so that coalition governments cannot be as easily captured by extremist elements, e.g., the election threshold could be raised from 3.5% to 4%. A coalition government could only be formed with 55% of Knesset members, not the current 50%. If a coalition of 55% cannot be formed, then a second round of elections would be conducted with minority parties that obtained less than 4% of first-round votes dropped from the roll. Once established, a coalition government could be dissolved with a 50% vote in the Knesset. If the Knesset votes to dissolve a government but a new coalition government cannot be formed, then, like now, an election would be held. This solution would allow Arabs to have local autonomy where they predominate, and secure their property in a national register. It would not allow for Palestinian statehood. Originally proposed in 1937 by the Peel Commission, the idea of a two-state-solution was adopted by the UN in 1947, and after that, repeatedly tried by Israel with the support of the U.S., including as recently as 2000 and 2008. Every time it was rejected by the local Arab leadership, which only ever sought annihilation of the Jewish state. The opportunities for a two-state solution have been squandered, and as the current conflict has laid bare, such a solution would not resolve the real issue, which is Muslim acceptance of a Jewish state in the region. Regarding citizenship; Arabs would be offered citizenship conditional on: 1) completing two (women) to three (men) years of national service (not necessarily military); and 2) renouncing foreign citizenship of states hostile to Israel. Both of these conditions would also be required for Jews to hold citizenship. Those who do not accept these conditions or are beyond the age of national service, would receive full residency with full civil rights, and political rights in the governorates where they are registered. They would be able to vote in local government elections and for their representatives in the new chamber but not in national elections for the Knesset. They would be able to travel, work and live anywhere inside the republic but would not be able to change their residential governorate except by marriage, when they could change their residency to that of their spouse. They would get a special passport for international travel. Children would obtain citizenship status, but would lose it at 18 if they fail to fulfill the requirements of national service. Under penalty of law, organized insurgent activity (defined by law) would be grounds for imprisonment and/or to strip offenders of their citizenship/residency and expel them. This would apply for Arabs and Jews. Acts of terrorism (defined by law) could invoke a death penalty. The solution of a Constitutional Federal Republic of Israel should be supported by all civilized nations. Not only would it offer resolution to the Arab-Jewish conflict in the territory of the former Mandate, it would deal a heavy blow to the pernicious dawa and revivalist ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood that has captured much of Arab and Muslim political thinking around the world.

[@johannesramokgadi6243]

Why are Palestinians expected to live under the brutal occupation and not resist?

[@marcoponce85]

When is Esau the beast MbS coming to the rescue with peace deal to start the end? Not all are blind and asleep.

[@GreenCanvasInteriorscape]

One could speculate that Mr kushner worked with MBS in putting together the dividing plan that is not based on what's good for Israel, without removing the hate from that society it's a tightening of the noose. Is that what you were getting at? Perhaps the UAE could step in but this is the definition of Quagmire hit the bad guys ad infinitum, a very unhealthy status quo as the host is explaining

[@kristine8338]

24/07/1922 - 24/07/2024 : The principle members of te Leage of Nations recognised the Jewish people their right to reconstitute their ancient homeland in British Mandate Palestine. Today this right has been robbed through dehumanisation of Israel.

[@DrumguyCiv]

It is the Palestinian people who have been dehumanized by the Israel government.